खम्मा घणी
khamma ghani
The English phrase "hi" is translated into Rajasthani as खम्मा घणी (khamma ghani).
खम्मा घणी is used as a respectful and friendly greeting to say hello or to welcome someone.
Meaning: friendly, informal greeting (intj)
What does it mean word for word?
The word खम्मा literally refers to forgiveness or pardon.
How do you pronounce it?
khamma ghani
When do people say it?
Using खम्मा घणी is a way of showing high respect and cultural politeness in Rajasthan. When using this phrase, it is customary to join your hands together in a namaste position or slightly lower your head as a sign of respect. If someone greets you with खम्मा घणी, a common and polite response is to say घणी खम्मा. Other common greetings in the region include Namaskar, which is a slightly more formal version of "Namaste" that can still be used casually and in the Marwari dialect, people commonly greet each other with Ram Ram or Jai Shri Krishna.
Did you know?
- While खम्मा घणी is friendly, it is deeply rooted in the 'Rajput' warrior culture of Rajasthan, where it served as a formal way to address royalty and nobility.
- The word खम्मा is derived from the Sanskrit word क्षमा, which means 'forgiveness'. This means every time you say 'hi' with खम्मा घणी, you are symbolically asking for pardon for any faults.
- Depending on the region, खम्मा घणी can be used as both a greeting when arriving and as a respectful way to say goodbye when leaving a house.
Examples in context
- खम्मा घणी, सा।khamma ghani, sa.Hello, sir.
- खम्मा घणी, हुकुम।khamma ghani, hukum.Greetings, my lord.
Example conversation
Two friends meet on a street in Rajasthan.
- रमेश Rameshखम्मा घणी, सीमा!Khamma Ghani, Seema!Hi, Seema!
- सीमा Seemaखम्मा घणी, रमेश!Khamma Ghani, Ramesh!Hi, Ramesh!
- रमेश Rameshआज आप यहाँ कैसे आए?Aaj aap yahan kaise aaye?How did you come here today?
- सीमा Seemaमैं बाज़ार आई हूँ।Main baazar aayi hoon.I have come to the market.
